Imagine this: a community made up of a diverse population filled with a variety of ideas, coming together as one. Inside that community stands two schools that give this perfect picture such vibrant color. What gives these schools such a prominent role in the community is their healthy relationships between one another. This healthy relationship such a vital factor for the big picture because the schools do represent the community as a whole. But, sadly, this concept is oftentimes overlooked or forgotten; some people tend to look at this image in only cardinal and gray, or royal blue and red.

“ I think it is best for our students that we have a healthy relationship between the two schools so that ultimately we are able to give respect to our students in the best way possible,” principal Bradford Hubbard said.  “By healthy relationship, I mean a collaborative relationship, professionally, where we are developing our teachers together. I think that in the end, the community will see how well our schools function together so it will strengthen the bond we all share.”

Every community faces rivalries, whether it be in academics or athletics. While every player or competitor has the mindset to win, it is also important to remember to maintain a healthy competition and help one another grow from losses, or even cheer each other on. For a student, there is nothing better than going against the school’s “sister school”. Antioch’s sister school is Lakes Community High School, and this means they are each other’s number one rivales as well. Sometimes the games get so intense that injuries occur too. Junior Andrew Hare knew about this all too well.

“I tore a football player on the Lakes Varsity Football team’s ACL during the Lakes vs. Antioch game,” Hare said. “He knows that I didn’t mean to do it, it’s just a part of the game.”

While Antioch does compete against Lakes in every sport and academic program, it is important for both schools to maintain a healthy rivalry. While we can be opponents, we also need to be supporters too.

“After the game when I apologized, he was all fine with it because we are good friends and it was also not too bad of an injury,” Hare said. “But I really think us being friends helped him not be as upset about it. I feel like since we all grew up with each other; for example, people coming from Antioch Upper Grade school, Emmons or other middle schools around the district, we have all been playing sports against each other for a while, so I think it is good to have that type of friendly, yet competitive, relationship.”

From the competitiveness to the academics, it is crucial to always make sure to be thoughtful of peers, whether they be at ACHS or LCHS. To have a club that allows students from both schools to join is a very special thing because it does stress the idea of respect, and Interact Club does just this.

“Interact club is really different from any other club,” junior Jordan DeLara said. “I think it is nice and beneficial because you get to meet new people; it truly is a diverse club. And I think because it is not people that solely come from Antioch, there is a new culture that comes along with it too.”

Establishing healthy relationships among peers and teachers between different schools is a skill that should never be forgotten. This skill also prepares the students to form healthy relationships for the future.

“I believe the students will see the healthy relationship that the administration displays and that they will learn from it,” LCHS principal David Newberry said. “I hope that they also see that it is okay to be competitive and it is okay to want to do better than someone you are competing with. But, in the end, we all live in the same community and that it is competitive, but in a good nature.”

From academics to teaching, behind every student learning new information is a hard working teacher. To imagine a day filled with racing between both ACHS and LCHS seems exhausting. But, there are some teachers that fulfill this task to the best of their ability, representing both schools with so much pride and making sure there is a positive relationship between both schools.

“I teach Food and Fitness at both schools, so it is nice that I teach the same class at both schools,” career and technical education teacher Caitlin O’Grady said. “Some days are crazy though with the traveling back and forth from both school grounds. I do enjoy seeing different staff, being with different kids and different buildings.

While it is obvious that students learn from their teachers, students also learn non-academic criteria from their teachers as well. It is crucial for the teachers to also be displaying a positive attitude about their sister school so that the students are able to learn and replicate this behavior too.

“I do always get asked ‘what school do you like better,’ O’Grady said. “I do not like either school better; I truly do enjoy teaching at both schools. I cannot rank them saying one is better than the other. When I am at Lakes, I am an Eagle, and when I am at Antioch, I am a Sequoit. You just have to have that attitude, and if it starts with us, then the students will hopefully pick up that mentality too.”

ACHS and LCHS will always be there for each other, whether it be each other’s competitor or supporter. Whatever it may be, in the end, we are all one big community, and that is one beautiful picture to look at and be apart of.